Subject: You shot my boredom in the face with a baker rifle, and it was awesome!
Dear Mr. Cornwell,
Great subject line, right?
Seriously though, thank you for all the good work you do. I have gotten many hours of enjoyment from your books. Since last May I’ve read all of the Sharpe novels, all the Thomas of Hookton books, Stone Hinge, all of the Saxon Tales following Utred’s adventures, and (most recently) your three Arthurian books.
I’ve been doing yacht deliveries all this time, so I have a great deal of time to kill when I’m not on watch. As a result my kindle has been quickly filling with your novels since I began in May 2013. You now occupy more of my hard drive than any other single author, a thorough and rapid conquest.
Even when I get home I can’t put your books down. Lately my girlfriend has been calling kindle my “other woman.” She’s jealous and it’s mostly your fault. Haha. Ah well…
I have been a big C.S. Forrester fan for years. I read the Hornblower books many times. They are what inspired me to become a seaman. When I was at UGA a fellow student in my French Rev class told me that Richard Sharpe was sort of Hornblower’s equivalent in the army. It was not until recently that I tested his theory, but I’m glad that I did. Sharpe’s adventures are every bit as entertaining as those of Horatio Hornblower, and they have inadvertently taught me a great deal about the Arthur Wellesley’s campaign on the Continent during the Napoleonic Wars.
The Sharpe novels, like all your books, are impeccably researched. I enjoy the historical note at the end of your novels almost as much as the books themselves. But, I think your talent really shines through when you situate your novels deeper in the mists of time. You frame mystery and superstition in the collective mind of your characters in a way that is truly magical. I am a fan of both historical fiction and fantasy/ sci fi. I’ve read pretty extensively from both disciplines, but never read an author who could marry the two so harmoniously. Where the documentation falls short your imagination does wonderfully entertaining things. My next read will almost certainly be one of yours, although Im starting to run out… :/
Keep up the good work!
Appreciatively,
Caleb G. Smith